


No Coffee For You

by LondonGypsy



Category: Hamilton - Miranda (Broadway Cast) RPF
Genre: Boys Kissing, Domestic Fluff, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, Laryngitis, Love Confessions, M/M, Requited Love, Requited Unrequited Love, Sexual Tension, Shower Sex, Sickfic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Unrequited Love, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-02-05 01:56:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12784458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LondonGypsy/pseuds/LondonGypsy
Summary: Lin is sick.Jon takes care of him.What could possibly go wrong?





	No Coffee For You

**Author's Note:**

> This is set while Lin is performing on Broadway; and it's somewhat early in the run, just after transferring from Off-Broadway.  
> I'm pretty sure the Laryngitis was later but I needed it there and then so...  
> As always, just borrowing their personalities and features - with all the love and adoration I have for all of them; no harm intended.  
> Loads of love to my beloved Beta [SuperWhoLockGypsy](http://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperWhoLockGypsy/profile) for the beta and the lovely comments ;-p Thank you!!! Any remaining mistakes are mine.

It took Jon three attempts to convince Lin that "yes, everyone's fine", "no, we can manage without you for a while," and "yes, I'll wake you in an hour".

Flopping into a chair next to the tattered couch Lin was lying on, Jon glared as Lin blinked slowly at him, obviously waiting for him to leave.

"Not going anywhere," Jon said sternly, crossing his arms.

Lin sighed and sunk deeper into the battered cushions, muttering under his breath. Jon ignored it; he waited for him to shut up long enough to actually fall asleep. Finally, after ten very long minutes of babbling, pleading and tossing around, he exhaled deeply and Jon could see him relax. His fingers twitched a few more times as if holding a pen until - finally - he stopped moving altogether, and it took only a few more minutes for him to be sound asleep.

Jon sighed deeply, mentally congratulating himself for managing the impossible.

"Groff? Have you seen -"

"Shhh!" Jon interrupted, stood up quickly, and ushered Chris back out of the room, gently closing the door. Patting the door, he turned and was met with a pair of very impressive, very frowning eyebrows.

"I just got him to fall asleep without having to tie him down. Didn't want you to ruin that," Jon said, grinning up at Chris, whose scowl instantly melted away.

"Did you knock him out?" he asked, a matching grin forming on his face.

"I was close," Jon replied, leaning against the door as if guarding it. "Has he always been like this?" he asked the other man.

Chris nodded, not missing a beat.

"Mostly, yes. I mean," he motioned Jon away from the door, "he's always got that manic energy and a certain restlessness. Give him enough caffeine and he runs three days straight with only a catnap. I've always admired that. I need my eight hours of beauty sleep or I'm useless." He chuckled even though the frown was back. "But this," he waved a hand in direction of Lin's room, "this is new."

Jon sighed along with him as they descended the stairs and entered the common room. It was mostly empty; only a few early risers lounging in the several seats, murmuring a soft hello to them as they settled in one corner.

"Does he ever stop?" Jon asked, rummaging through a forgotten box of donuts on the table.

Chris leaned backed, one eyebrow raised as Jon sniffed at one of the donuts.

"You don't know how long that's been here," he said, disgusted as Jon took a bite.

"'s fine."

Chris shook his head, and just as Jon wanted to ask again, he said:

"I don't know, to be honest. I’ve barely seen him any other way. Sure, he has bad days every now and then, but that's not really stopping him. So yeah, not really."

Jon chewed slowly, nodding.

"I feared as much," he said eventually, "it's just-" he stopped, trying to think of something that sounded less like a mother-hen and then shrugged, "I just worry about him. Have you seen him lately?"

Chris snorted. "Uh, yeah, every single day. He's working really hard-"

"That's the point. I share a dressing room with him. Do you have _any_ idea how often I have to make sure he's actually on time? Lin? The master of being way too early for everything? He gets lost in his own head, scribbling like a madman, mumbling to himself like a lunatic. Hell, last week I had to kick in the bathroom door because he fell asleep on the damn toilet!"

Chris bit his lip, suppressing a laugh.

"That's _not_ funny, man." Jon felt anger bubbling up but Chris patted his shoulder.

"Calm down, Groff, he's fine. Or will be once we've established more of a routine. Give him a few more days and he'll be peachy."

"Your words in God's ear," Jon muttered.

The uneasiness in him grew. He's been watching Lin closely for a few days now. Carefully, as Lin had already snapped at Jon twice for being overprotective, which was so not Lin’s style, and he had apologized immediately. The stress of getting the show up and running, their move to Broadway, the crazy hype, it all was wearing him down, and he still kept pushing himself. He changed things around on an almost daily basis; he came in early to do who knows what - one day Jon had found him snoring in their rooms, still wearing the clothes from the day before, and after much prodding and probing he had admitted that he had spent the night at the theater.

As if called by Jon's thoughts, Lin appeared in the door, face creased, clothes rumpled.

Jon sighed deeply as he watched him stumble over to the coffee maker, downing the rest of the tepid liquid in the pot in one long gulp.

His bleary eyes scanned the room and lit up as he saw Jon and Chris.

"CJack, Groffsauce, my favorite men," he drawled, voice hoarse from sleep.

"You're supposed to be sleeping," Jon said, annoyed, as Lin came over and flopped into a chair.

"And you were supposed to wake me, do you see me complaining?"

"Uh, yes? We said one hour and it's been only minutes. Go back!"

Chris pulled himself up to his full height. "Lin, Groff's right. You look like shit, man. It's still early, get some more shut-eye."

"Et tu, Brute?" Lin muttered, red-rimmed eyes flickering back and forth between the two of them.

"Lin, please." Jon was basically begging now; he would've done anything to erase that harried look on Lin's face. "One hour. I promise, not a minute longer."

Lin looked from him to Chris, who nodded along.

"You're no use to us all if you're dead on your feet, man," he said softly, his deep baritone soothing to Jon's nerves.

Lin grumbled a bit but Jon could see that he was about to give in.

"I'll get you those terrible cakes you like," Jon said, hopeful that the treat would do the trick.

Lin smiled widely, but it didn't reach his eyes. Jon heart sank at the sight.

"You know how to sweet talk a man. Fine. Back to bed then."

Lin reached out, ruffled Jon's hair, slapped Chris' shoulder and sauntered back out. Jon and Chris leaned over simultaneously to see whether he was really going upstairs.

Sensing it, Lin turned, fixing them both with a hard look.

"One hour," he said loudly before he vanished upstairs.

They listened and only relaxed as they heard the door slam shut.

"You better get those cakes, Groff, or he'll tear you a new one," Chris said casually, leaning back in his chair.

"I know."

They fell silent. More people arrived, and Jon could feel the tension in the room rise. Usually he loved this: the excitement, the nervousness before a show but today it grated on his already-frayed nerves.

"I better get going then," he said, pushing the chair back and stood.

"Is there anything you wanna tell me, Jonathan?" Chris' voice was low, nevertheless, Jon spun around as if he yelled at him.

"What?"

"I'm -" Chris visibly considered his words carefully, "- curious. You seem to care an awful lot about a man you barely know."

Jon bristled, a million arguments on his tongue, mainly a well-rehearsed and sadly overused rant about homophobia and prejudice. But Chris seemed to sense it and lifted his hands in an apologetic gesture.

"None of my business, I'm sorry," he said gently, the smile on his face honest.

Jon deflated and then shrugged.

"I just... worry," Jon said wearily, feeling drained and exhausted.

"So you said." Chris' gaze sharpened and Jon had to stop himself from squirming. "Don't overdo it though, he will only allow so much before he's going to turn it on you."

Jon frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll see," Chris said, flashing a grin at him.

Jon stared at him for a long moment, inclined to find out his cryptic words but Chris tapped his watch.

"Tick tock, Groff, you better get going."

Jon rolled his eyes, muttered curses under his breath and left the room. Trudging up the stairs, he told himself he was only getting a jacket and was not checking on Lin.  
Yet he sneaked into their shared suite, careful to not make a sound. Lin's door was ajar, low music filling the air. Jon grabbed his jacket from his own room, hesitating in the tiny hallway.

"Fuck it," he mumbled to himself and took the three step toward Lin's door. Nudging it further open, he peeked inside. A sigh of relief fell from his lips as he saw Lin, curled up on the couch, an old blanket haphazardly thrown over his legs.

Jon's heart beat a bit lighter as he carefully went into the room to pull the blanket further up; the room was cool and Jon told himself he was only making sure their main man wasn't getting sick.  
And if his hand lingered a tiny bit too long on Lin's shoulder, who was there to judge him?  
As quietly as he went inside, he left again, pulling the door shut behind him.

"Sweet dreams," he whispered into the dimness of the hall before he made his way downstairs to get Lin his treats.

 *

A few hours later, Jon was leaning against a wall in the wings, with a heavy heart. He could see how much Lin was struggling: his movements were jerky, his voice rough around the edges and even from his vantage point, Jon could see the dark shadows under Lin's eyes.

"It's a wonder he doesn't collapse."

Jon flinched, and Javier smiled at him apologetically. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

"Nah, it's okay. I was just thinking the same thing."

"Sometimes I wonder if he's actually human," Javier mused, "what with the hours he keeps and all. I mean, we all have the same day, right? And yet he seems to accomplish so much more than the rest of us."

"Yeah, but at what cost?" Jon noticed how bitter he sounded. He felt Javier's eyes on him, and he kept his own gaze trained on Lin's figure out there in the spotlights.

"You like him." It wasn't a question.

Jon shrugged. "Everybody likes him. You cannot not like him," he said, faintly aware that his face was heating up.

Javier chuckled, a warm sound which eased the tension in Jon's shoulders a little.

"Yeah, but you _like_ him."

Jon watched how Lin spun around, strutting over the stage, back straight, head high, and for the millionth time it struck him how _present_ Lin was, how _there_ ,  without taking away the focus on the rest of the cast.

"Yeah, I do," he whispered, pressing himself flat to the wall as a bunch of dancers hurried past them.

"Does he know?" Javier's voice was as low as Jon's - a secret shared between the two of them.

Jon shook his head. "No. It would only complicate things."

Javier didn't reply, for which Jon was grateful. Only as he put his crown back on and straightened his lapels, Javier moved closer and hugged him briefly but intensely.

"You might be surprised," he murmured in his ear before pulling back and slapping his ass.

"Javi!" Jon exclaimed, equally amused and confused. The other man only grinned at him and made a shooing motion. Glaring at him, Jon pushed every thought out of his head, exhaled deeply and stepped out into the light.

 *

He only thought about Javier's words much later. He was already lying in bed, tossing and turning, the moon bright beyond his bedroom window. But the longer he thought about it, the more confused he got.

What had he meant exactly? What would surprise him?

Rolling over, he had his phone in hand to text Javier before he even noticed. Shaking his head at himself, he put it back, staring up at the ceiling until uneasy sleep finally claimed him.  

***

When he walked into the theater the next day, Lin's room was dark and quiet. Frowning, he peeked inside, but it was indeed empty. He dropped his bag and wandered back downstairs, checking the common room which was already crowded.

"Anyone seen Lin?" he asked into the round, but it only returned shrugged shoulders. Next he checked the sign-in list where he found Lin's name; he'd come in even earlier than normal.

"Where are you?" Jon muttered, wondering whether he should be worried or not. Usually Lin stayed in his dressing room, worked on his several projects, or just listened to music to get into the right headspace.

Jon walked around, checking the various places he could be: wardrobe, make-up, the stage manager's office as he often had family there. Nothing. His wanderings brought him onto the stage which was still empty, the auditorium quiet, the ghost light gleaming brightly into the otherwise darkened house.

"This is silly," Jon told himself, pulling out his phone, firing off a text to Lin. Seconds later he heard the familiar chime of Lin's phone. It came from below.

Frowning Jon walked offstage and found the door leading into the depths of the pit.

"Lin?" he asked into the dimly lit room.

"Go away," came it from the farthest corner. It was followed by a hacking coughing fit, and Jon hurried towards the sound.

"Oh shit." Jon knelt next the man, curled up in a corner. "You okay?"

"Do I even remotely sound as if I'm okay?" Lin's voice was so hoarse it pained Jon to listen to it.

"What happened?" he asked, trying to see Lin's face in the spartan lights.

"Woke up like this. Took a shitload of meds. Didn't help."

Lin looked up, and Jon was shocked at the feverish glint in Lin's eyes.

"You need a doc, and then a bed."

"But, but the show! I can't be sick." Lin sounded horrified and then another coughing fit shock him so hard that Jon was sure he could hear his bones rattle.

"Yeah well, you can't go on like this, man. You sound like you've swallowed nails."

Lin grimaced at him but didn't say anything. Another coughing fit shook him, and Jon had enough. He sprang into action, pulling out his phone to make the necessary phone calls.

*

3 hours later he tried to open Lin's apartment door, which was made more difficult with Lin hanging on his arm, barely conscious.

"Come on, man, a few more steps and then you can sleep," Jon said, finally getting the door open. He dragged Lin inside and straight to his bedroom.

Tobi came running, yapping softly and letting out a bark as Jon dropped Lin onto the bed.

"Daddy's sick," Jon told the dog, "he needs to rest."

Taking off Lin's shoes, he then pulled off the thick sweater but hesitated at his jeans. Shaking his head, he left them on. He only removed his belt. His fingertips tingled as he accidentally grazed over Lin's stomach.

"Pull yourself together," he muttered to himself. He rolled Lin over to free the covers. As he pulled them over him, Lin blinked heavy lids open. He looked so confused that Jon couldn't help a chuckle.

"Sleep, Lin, the doc said rest is the best cure."

Lin tried to sit up but Jon pushed him gently back.

"But, the show," Lin started to say. Jon interrupted him.

"The show will do just fine. Javi will take over, nothing out of the ordinary. Just a few more rides for Javilton." He smiled at the nickname. "You, sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

"It's barely afternoon," Lin protested even as he relaxed into the sheets.

"Yes, but the doc said, the meds will make you all sleepy so -" Jon grinned down at Lin whose lids fluttered already; he kept muttering but stopped as soon as his eyes fully closed.

Jon looked at him for another long moment. He looked horrible: his hair was a mess, his face pale with two bright red spots on his cheeks, the shadows under his eyes like purple bruises in the bright light streaming through the window.

Reaching out, Jon pushed some strands out of Lin's face, his pulse quickening.

His phone rang and with a curse he hurried out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

"How is he?" Chris. And going by the echo he was on speaker with the rest of them.

"Out like a light, thank goodness," Jon said, flopping onto Lin's couch, "he's got laryngitis, and the doc said he should stay quiet for at least a week."

He smiled as he heard the various chuckles in the background.

"How is he supposed to do _that_?" Chris asked, amusement coloring his tone. "Wanna gag him for the time being?"

Jon snorted. "I've thought about that. Nah, I guess we have to babysit him, and make sure he shuts up long enough for his vocal chords to recover."

He hesitated; he had been thinking about what he was about to say next during the long hour in the waiting room at the doctor's. It was probably not his best idea but he'd had worse.

"Listen, is Andrew around?" he asked tentatively. He heard shuffling and then Andrew's voice was in his ear.

"I'm here, my King."

"My lovely subject. What do you think about taking over for your beloved sovereign for a week?" Despite the silliness Jon held his breath. This was such an out-of-the-ordinary thing to do. He heard whispering, and could imagine the incredulous looks on their faces.

"I could look after him," Jon added hastily, trying to sound calm even though his heart was hammering. "Make sure he does what the doctor said. We all know left to his own devices he would only work all day and try to sneak into the theater, telling us he's fine and, batting his lashes, would get exactly what he wants. He needs rest. I can make sure he gets exactly that."

He exhaled, waiting.

"Sure thing, no biggie," Andrew said over the sound of discussion in the back. "If anyone can make him stop for a bit, it's probably you -" Andrew stopped, and Jon heard how the phone was passed on.

"Groff?" Chris again. "You sure about that? It's quite the task you set yourself on. Trust me, a healthy Lin is already a handful. Him being sick? I don't even want to think about what he can do to you."

"Right now he's as weak as a kitten," Jon replied, ignoring the slight annoyance at Chris' chastising tone. "I think I can handle that."

"It's your funeral, man," Chris said, and Jon could almost see him shrugging.

Jon straightened his back.

"So. That's settled then. Do I need to call anyone or -"

"We're all here, Groff. It's fine. Just make sure nobody gets hurt. No strangling the patient." Tommy sounded highly amused which made Jon huff.

"He can't be that bad," he said with a pout, starting to worry what he's got himself into.

"Just you wait," sing-songed someone, and Jon was almost sure it was Javier. He ignored it.

"Fine. Andrew, can you take over tonight?"

"Already in costume, sir," was the cheery reply.

Jon raised an eyebrow, and his silence prompted Andrew to add: "We didn't know whether you'd be back in time. Just a precaution."

"Okay. Good. I'll drop by later to pick up Lin's and my stuff."

A chorus of "see you later" ended the call, and Jon slumped into the cushions, mind racing.

He knew that Lin wasn't easy to handle on a good day; he hated being patronized even if it was for his own good. Dealing with him while being seriously sick? Jon could only hope to manage. One step at a time, he told himself.

Tobi walked over, nudging the hand hanging from the couch with her scruffy head.

"And we need to make sure _you_ won't be neglected," he said to her, scratching her behind the ears. "We got this," he told her, trying to convince himself as much as the dog.

 *

The next hour he spent making a list of the things he needed to get from the theater, and from his own place. He lived across the city; in order to keep an eye on Lin he would have to stay here. He had spent more than one night on Lin's couch before, he could do an entire week. And someone had to take Tobi for her walks, and right now Lin was in no condition to do so.

Next, he inspected Lin's fridge and the cupboards, making a grocery list. Lin was the typical single, only a few necessitates, nothing else.

After that he checked on Lin but he was sound asleep; exhaustion and the meds had knocked him out like a light.

Jon wrote a short note that he'd be back, and left it with a bottle of water on the bedside table.

 *

He arrived at the theater just before intermission. Sneaking into the wings, he watched the last few minutes before everyone crowded backstage. He was instantly surrounded by people asking after Lin and he patiently answered their questions.

It took a while to realize that neither Chris nor Javier had joined. He excused himself, patted Andrew on the back in passing for a job well done, and headed upstairs to their dressing rooms.

He was surprised to find both Chris and Javier in Lin's room.

"Groff." Chris swiveled around in his chair, his face solemn.

"Hello," Jon said warily, starting to collect Lin's belongings he knew he couldn't live without.

They both watched him silently; the tension in the room was palpable.

"What?" he eventually snapped, shoving the last of Lin's notebooks into his bag.

"Nothing," Javier said, his expression betraying the words. "We're just _worried_." He drawled out the last word, and Jon glared at him.

"Jon, do you have any idea what you're doing?" Chris asked gently.

"Looking after a sick friend," Jon bit back, defensive.

Javier stood and rested his hands on Jon's shoulders, his soft brown eyes scanning over Jon's face.

"Are you sure that is a good idea?" he asked quietly.

"Why wouldn't it be?" he growled, anger and annoyance bubbling up.

Javier and Chris exchanged a look, and Jon exploded.

"Seriously? What do you think I’m going to do? Exploit him? Force myself onto him while he can't defend himself? Molest him while he's unconscious?" He spat out the last with such rage that Javier flinched and Chris made a shocked noise.

"Jesus, Groff. Who do you think we are? Do you really think _that_ is our concern right now? You couldn't hurt a fly. No, we're worried about _you_. Lin can be very, well, let's say, difficult, when he's sick. Says things he doesn't mean. Does things he wouldn't do otherwise. He can get very clingy and needy when pumped up with meds." Chris's voice trailed off, his eyes wide and begging.

"Look, all we’re trying to say is, that he might encourage things. Things you might interpret in the wrong way." Javier's tone was urgent and suddenly Jon understood.

He fell on the small couch, looking from Javier to Chris and back.

"I had my suspicions," Chris admitted, interpreting Jon's expression correctly, "you've been acting strange around him for a while now."

"And I've only confirmed that today," Javier added quietly, "we don't want you to get hurt by something he does without knowing how you feel about him."

"He can be a bit-" Chris looked at Javier for help.

"Overzealous? And a bit blind to being courted by others," Javier said, smiling. "Always has been. He needs clear pointers."

"But he's not gay," was all Jon could say, mind racing.

Chris chuckled.

"Did Lin ever strike you as someone who cares about labels? Or genders? Or lives by some ancient societal rules?"

Jon shook his head weakly.

"If, _when_ , he falls for someone, he doesn't care about, well anything." Javier added. “You know how he is when he loves. He does it with everything he has.”

The ' _places_ ' call interrupted them. Chris and Javier got up, adjusting clothes and microphones, and Jon followed them to the door.

Both men hugged him.

"Take care, Jon, and call us if you need help. In any way," Chris said, squeezing Jon's shoulders.

"When he's better and can think straight again, maybe talk to him. I've found that's the best way to get things into that big brain of his," Javier said as they walked down the stairs.

Jon watched them disappear.  Walking back into Lin's room he let his gaze wander around, looking for anything he might have forgotten.

The room was so Lin. Chaotic yet cozy, a home away from home. Without thinking Jon started to pick up clothes from the floor, pushed the chair back in place, put the papers on the desk back in order. He smiled at the pictures slapped on the mirror, friends and family, a few notes from fans he'd found worth keeping.

Suddenly he froze, a couple of photos in the very corner caught his attention. Squinting against the lights he leaned closer. They were pictures from tech rehearsals, from opening night, from random moments at the theater.  And they all showed him and Lin. Mostly arm in arm, faces pressed against each other, smiling brightly and with no care in the world. They looked like a very happy couple.

Shaking his head Jon stepped back, looking at other pictures from Lin and the cast; there were a few but not as many as of him and Lin, and not as close.

Ignoring the flare of hope in his stomach, he stepped back, grabbed his bag and switched off the light. He said goodbye to the few people sitting on the stairs waiting for their cue, and slipped out of one of the unmarked backdoors unseen.

Deep in thought, he almost boarded the wrong train, and for the rest of the journey back to Lin's he tried not to think too much. He picked up some groceries before he headed up to the apartment where he was greeted by an excited Tobi.  

She was yapping, and Jon remembered that she hadn't been out all day.

"Let me just check on your master, and then we're off," he said to her, petting her head.

He walked towards Lin'd bedroom and peeked inside. It was dark but Jon could hear Lin's elaborate breathing.

"Lin," he whispered, no intention of waking him but wanting to check whether he was actually asleep or just fuming in the dark.

As he got no answer, he sighed relieved, walked back into the hall where he picked up Tobi's leash. The dog was whining now and Jon hurried to get them outside.

 *

Half an hour later, they returned. Tobi immediately trotted into Lin's room, curling up at the side of the bed while Jon packed away the groceries and made himself a sandwich. He pondered about waking Lin so he could eat as well but decided against it. He'd make him a big breakfast, but right now he needed all the rest he could get.

Cleaning up, he found the spare covers and a pillow in the closet, and after switching off the lights, he got comfortable on the couch.

He fell asleep within minutes, the long day eventually catching up with him.

***

The next morning he woke because Tobi was licking his hand, hanging from the couch. For a second he was disoriented but he recovered quickly.

"Morning," he murmured to the dog, offering her a generous amount of ear scratching, which she seemed to enjoy immensely. A loud crash from Lin's bedroom made them both jump.

Jon hurried over to find Lin on the floor, one foot tangled in his sweatpants, glaring around wildly.

"You okay?" Jon asked, suppressing the giggles at the sight of Lin's insane bedhead.

"What are you doing here?" Lin croaked, heaving himself of the floor, waving away Jon's attempt to help.

"Making sure you do what your doctor told you," Jon said dryly, watching Lin wrestle with the pants until he finally managed to get both legs inside.

"I need no babysitter, 'm fine."

Jon raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, sure thing. You're off work for at least a week. You won't talk, you won't sing. You'll be sleeping a lot, drinking at least three liters of water a day, eating properly and just generally getting better. And I will make sure of that."

Lin huffed a unamused laugh which hurt only to hear it; Lin winced as well.

"See," Jon said triumphantly, "you can't even laugh properly. Do you still have a fever?"

He was almost sure it had broken overnight, Lin's shirt was sweaty and his neck was glistening damp in the sunlight filtering through the blinds.

"Go away."

"Not gonna happen. You're stuck with me until you're better." Jon reached out to lay a hand on Lin's forehead. He was still warm but not as hot as he had been the day before.

"'m disgusting," Lin muttered, trying to avoid Jon's hand.

"You're sick, that's all," Jon replied, eyeing him closely. "How do you feel? You think you can shower by yourself?"

Lin's scowl was fierce, only alleviated by the fact that he winced again as he tried to put words to his expression.

"Yeah, you're not supposed to talk at all," Jon said, holding out a hand to him.

After another death glare, Lin took it and Jon pulled him on his feet. He swayed but quickly found his footing again.

"Let's get you into the shower and I'll make you breakfast, okay?"

Lin nodded weakly and they made their way into the bathroom.

"You good? Want me to stay?" Jon offered, ignoring the pitch in his voice. Lin heard it though and suddenly his hazy gaze became sharper.

Jon rolled his eyes, willing the flush on his cheeks away.

"I just don't want you to slip and hit your head. I mean, Javi wouldn't complain but how the hell am I supposed to explain that to the world? ' _Lin-Manuel Miranda. Died in his shower. Naked and wet_ '." He shut his treacherous mouth, biting his tongue so hard he could taste blood.

Lin's eyes narrowed as he looked at him for a long time, his expression for once absolutely unreadable. Eventually he looked away, and Jon could breathe properly again.

"I'll manage," Lin said, voice low and echoing in the enclosed room. Jon suppressed a shiver.

"Good. I'll be in the kitchen. If you need anything -" he stopped, frowning. Lin wasn't really able to call out for him.

Lin suddenly grinned and picked up one of the books stashed by the tub. He threw it towards Jon, only barely missing him and with a loud slap it landed on the tiles. His grin grew wider.

Jon chuckled and picked the book up, putting it back.

"Okay, fine, throw books to get my attention if you must."

Giggling to himself he left, leaving the door open.

*

Half an hour later they were sitting at the table in the living room. Lin was sniffing his tea with disgust, glaring at Jon over the rim.

"Sorry, caffeine is on the list." He pointed at a list on the fridge the doctor had given him with things to avoid during Lin's recovery.

"You're an evil Groff," Lin croaked which made Jon smirk.

"Who will make sure you're as good as new in a week. Now then," Jon leaned back, pulling a notebook closer, "I've thought up some rules while you were showering."

Lin's eyebrows almost vanished in his hairline.

"What rules?" Despite the weak voice, his tone was incredulous

"Number one. No singing. No talking unless absolutely necessary. That includes talking to yourself. You need to rest your vocal chords as much as possible to avoid further damage." Lin had opened his mouth but Jon held up a hand. "It will only prolong your being off work," he said, knowing full well how to get him to actually follow that rule.

Lin huffed but nodded.

"Second. Anything you need to say, write it down." Jon pushed his iPad and a notebook over the table towards Lin. "And don't get any wrong ideas, I've disabled everything but the writing program. No recordings, no video-chat. Welcome to the stone age."

Lin's glaring intensified but Jon ignored it.

"Number Three. You're going to be pretty drowsy with those meds. Sleep when you feel like it. The doc said you need all the rest you can get. The more you do that, the quicker you get better. Don't try to stay awake. Treat this as vacation. You're off work, you can be as lazy as you want, sleep all day if you like."

Lin grumbled but as Jon stared at him, he nodded.

"Last one. I'm staying here for the time being. You can't be trusted on your own. Andrew is taking over for me, Kail and Lac will take care of everything. If they need you, they will contact me, and I might confer with you if the need arises. You are allowed to have visitors but only if you stick to the other rules. Understood?"

Jon took a deep breath; he felt like a drill sergeant but he knew that was what he had to do to get Lin to listen to him. He also knew that Lin would try to cheat but he was prepared.

Still watching Lin closely, he exhaled as Lin nodded slowly.

"Good. Now eat, I didn't slave in the kitchen all morning for nothing."

Lin harrumphed a laugh but as even that seemed to hurt, he smiled lopsidedly at Jon and dug in.

While they ate, Jon pondered over the fact that Lin - even though he had complained about Jon's rules - had not once protested the fact that Jon wanted to stay with him. He had just accepted it as a given fact. A tiny part of Jon was wondering why that was. They knew each other well enough by now - sharing dressing rooms for a few weeks, basically living on top of each other for 14 hours a day, can do that to people. And yet they weren't as close as Lin was with Chris or Javier, or some of the other cast that had known him for years.

And yet, they had clicked right away, and Jon sometimes forgot that they did not know each other forever, because it certainly felt like they did.

It filled him with a warmth, and made his heart beat a bit faster.

***

The next four days went by without a hitch. Lin followed Jon's rules to the letter; the apartment was littered with little notes and pages filled with Lin's chicken scratch; he used the iPad but often he resorted back to scribbling down on paper.

They played videogames, watched TV - Lin's DVR was full of obscure shows Jon had never heard about. They read, did the crosswords, took naps on the couch, each in a corner, feet tucked under Tobi’s belly in the middle. Lin developed some crude sign language with which he communicated flawlessly with Jon after only a day.  
Cast and crew visited whenever they could, always briefed by Jon beforehand: 'Don't make him talk too much'.

After the second day the fever was gone completely, and they took increasingly longer walks through the park with Tobi, bundled up against the harsh winds coming from the river.

Jon had made it a habit to only play instrumental music, very low in the background, so Lin didn't feel the need to sing along. But every now and then he did hum away with the music, and Jon had to remind him that even that stressed his vocal cords.

 ***

Day five dawned grey and rainy, and like the past days, Jon was up before Lin who was actually sleeping a lot. Probably catching up on years’ worth of sleep deprivation.

Jon fed Tobi first, then he started the human food.

Lin had been exceptionally compliant; after the initial protests, it seemed he had started to enjoy their time together. And Jon decided he deserved a treat. Instead of Lin's tea for breakfast he made coffee. The smell filled the kitchen, and only moments later Lin stood in the door, mussed and barely awake, a blinding smile on his creased face.

"Morning," Jon said, a mirroring smile forming.

"Coffee?" Lin rasped, his voice even huskier than usual which chased a hot shiver down Jon's spine.

"Well spotted, Sherlock Holmes," he said, ignoring the slight tremble in his hands.

And then Lin clapped his hands, the expression on his face one of pure joy. He took the few steps into the room, seized Jon's face with his hands and kissed him square on the mouth. It was brief, over before Jon could even process it. Frozen in place he watched as Lin sat on the table and poured himself a cup, babbling happily under his breath. His nose twitched as he leaned over to inhale deeply.

"Coffee," he sighed as if it was a cure for world hunger.

Jon was still in shock, holding the plate he had wanted to put on the table, his breath shallow, his heart racing.

And then Lin started making little, almost orgasmic, noises as he took a sip. It sounded absolutely filthy, and Jon's body reacted. He twitched, and the plate in his hand slipped, splintering on the floor with a loud crash.

Lin jumped, almost dropping his cup.

"Oh shit, sorry. No, stay put, you're barefoot, I've got it," Jon stammered as he moved to retrieve a broom, still trembling heavily. He could feel Lin's gaze on him as he cleaned up. Busying himself with carefully sweeping the floor, he avoided looking at him, but eventually he was done and had to get up.

He sat at the table, willing his hands to still. He reached out for the coffee pot but Lin put a hand on his wrist.

"Groff?" The question was loud and clear even though it was just his name.

"Hm?" Jon had his gaze trained on the cup on the table, and so he startled as Lin's hand came into view, lifting his chin gently with two fingers. For a second Jon struggled but then he looked up, meeting Lin's confused brown eyes.

"What?" Lin had established a habit of using one word sentences over the past days, and Jon usually understood him.

But in this very moment he had no idea what to say. He stared into Lin's eyes, big and soft, still a bit unguarded from being just woken, and so beautiful.

"You -," Jon started, swallowing around a sudden lump in his throat.

Lin made an encouraging noise, and Jon faintly realized that Lin's hand was still on his face, now resting against his cheek.

"You kissed me," Jon whispered, feeling his face heat up.

The confusion in Lin's face deepened for a moment before a smile lit it up again.

"Ah. I guess I did," he murmured softly, not the least bit phased by something that had tilted Jon's world off its axis.

"Oh, does it bother you?" Lin added after a moment of tense silence, as if in an afterthought. He looked at Jon from under those ridiculous long lashes, the picture of innocence if there ever was one.

And Jon realized that it was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. Lin, a life-long caffeine addict, hadn't had any in days. Of course he would be grateful for some coffee. And with Lin being how he was - overly affectionate and with no sense of personal space - it had been a completely natural reaction.

Jon shook his head, dislodging Lin's hand on his face. He immediately missed his warmth.

"No, doesn't bother me at all," he said, trying to sound casual, "just surprised me, is all."

"Whoops, sorry. Chris always says, I'm too touchy-feely for some people." Lin looked a bit sheepish.

"'s fine," Jon said awkwardly, pouring himself a cup of coffee, only barely managing to not spill it everywhere. His hands were still a bit shaky.

Lin hummed happily, the incident already forgotten as he buried his nose in his cup again. They sat in silence for a while, Lin digging into the food. Jon was fidgeting and eventually stood up, needing to clear his head.

"I'll take Tobi for her walk," he said, avoiding looking at Lin.

"I'll come," was his reply.

"Nah, you stay, it's raining. No weather for you to be in."

And without another word Jon hurried out of the kitchen and grabbed Tobi's leash, which instantly called her from her sleeping place. He fled the apartment without a scarf, and only downstairs he realized that he was still wearing his pajama pants.

He cursed thoroughly and so heartfelt that Tobi barked once.

"I'm sorry, girl," he said helplessly, standing under the awning, shivering in the wet air. He could go back upstairs and get properly dressed but then he had to face Lin again, and right now that wasn't really an option. Pulling the hood of his jacket over his head, he headed out into the rain.

 *

Half an hour later he stumbled back into the apartment, drenched and dripping all over the floor. Walking straight into the bathroom, he unceremoniously stripped and stepped into the shower. The hot water was bliss after the cold outside, and it took him an embarrassingly long time to realize that Lin was calling his name.

He shook the water out of his eyes and pulled the shower curtain back to hear better. He jumped at Lin's face right in front of him.

"Uh, hi, didn't hear you," Jon stammered, suddenly overly aware of his nakedness.

Lin smirked. "I figured."

Jon stared at him, the water was hammering on his back, and Lin was so close he could smell his aftershave.

"Did you want anything in particular? Or just show me that you're feeling better now?" Jon asked sarcastically even though his pulse was racing.

Lin tilted his head, his eyes scanning over Jon's face, and Jon felt even more naked than he already was.

"It did bother you. Still does." Lin stated, taking a step back, and Jon could breathe again.

"Huh?"

"That I kissed you. It bothers you. Otherwise you wouldn't have run out in your pj's."

"Lin, please, can we maybe talk about that when I'm not naked," Jon said, feeling overexposed.

Lin's eyes suddenly narrowed and his gaze slid lower. Jon's grip on the shower curtain tightened.

"Are you now?" Lin's voice had dropped and Jon couldn't suppress the shiver that racked his body at the roughness in his tone.

"Yes, and I'd prefer to have conversations like that fully dressed." Jon exhaled deeply.

"Like what exactly?" Lin asked, a dangerous glint coming into his eyes. "Is there anything we need to talk about?"

"No, but apparently it bothers _you_ enough that you can't wait until I'm done here," Jon sighed.

"I ain't bothered at all," Lin said, stepping closer again, "in fact -" He didn't finish the sentence, but instead reached out and tugged at the shower curtain. It slipped from Jon's grasp. Lin inhaled sharply as his eyes flickered over Jon's naked body.

"Would it help if I get naked too?" he asked harshly, already pulling his shirt over his head.

Jon was in shock. He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He was panting, however.

"Maybe it makes you feel less..." Lin cocked his head, considering his words, "bothered?"

Jon snorted helplessly. He was still rooted to the spot as Lin stripped the rest of his clothes.

"Care to share?" he asked quietly, a soft blush coloring his cheek.  

Jon stared at him; he couldn't have stopped his eyes from roaming Lin's lean figure if his life depended on it.

"Be my guest," he finally croaked, shocked at the audible longing in his voice.

Lin inclined his head, his hair hiding his face for a moment.

And Jon realized that Lin was terrified, probably just as much as Jon was. Whatever was happening here, it had been building over the past few days. No, Jon mentally corrected himself, it's been going on for much longer already. Suddenly every moment between him and Lin flashed through his mind, the countless casual touches, the many hugs between them that always lasted a second too long, the way Lin sometimes looked at him, a dreamy expression in his eyes.

Jon took a step to the side, and Lin accepted the wordless invitation. He clambered into the shower, the curtain falling back into place. The shower was small, barely big enough for the both of them. Steam filled the confined space, wavering around them, the only sound their elaborated breathing and the water still splattering on Jon's back.

Lin looked up at Jon, brown eyes wide and hopeful. Then he smiled, something so tender and sweet, Jon had to close his eyes for a second to not crumble at his feet.

He froze as Lin's hands settled on his cheeks, his thumbs grazing his eyebrows, his closed lids, the bridge of his nose, and after a breathless moment, his lips. Jon willed his eyes open, meeting Lin's dark gaze, who held it, not even blinking.

Slowly he dragged his thumb over Jon's lower lip again, his own parting. It was the tiny sigh that made Jon move and bury his shaking hand in his Lin's hair, pulling him close. Their mouths found each other instantly. It wasn't soft, it wasn't fleeting. It was messy and rough and wet, all teeth and tongue and need. Their groans echoed around the small room endlessly. Jon's knees buckled as Lin's tongue slipped past his slack lips, curling wildly around his. Lin's fingers dug deep into Jon's shoulders. He was growling softly, kissing with a fierceness that made Jon cling harder to him.

Jon's cock twitched, and he smiled as he felt Lin flinch and then press closer to him.

"Maybe we should take it slowly?" Jon panted against Lin's mouth, and pulled back as Lin laughed.

"Don't you think we've taken it slowly long enough already?" He sounded absolutely wrecked already, and Jon's head lolled back with a moan.

Lin kissed his exposed throat, grazing his teeth over the skin, and Jon shuddered violently.

"Do you have _any_ idea how often I wanted to do this?" Lin murmured against his neck.

Jon groaned at the open desire in his tone. "What? Assault me in the shower?" he replied, raking his hands through Lin's hair.

Lin chuckled as he leaned into his touch.  

"No. Kiss you. End this dancing around each other. Which, for the record, was torture. Just so you know."

"Do you think it was easy for _me_ to keep my hands off of you?" Jon shot back.

Lin opened his mouth to answer but Jon kissed him again, hard and deep. Lin melted against him, giving as much as he took.

Their hands were roaming wet skin, exploring tensing muscles, causing bitten back moans and loud sighs.

"Turn around," Lin muttered. Jon did as told, trembling all over so heavily that Lin guided his hand to the shower rod so he had something to hold onto.

"Relax, I don't bite" Lin said into his ear, "unless you want me to," his voice trailed off and he licked over Jon's neck. To do so, he had to press himself against Jon, and he could feel his hard-on against his ass. He moaned loudly, his own cock twitching.

"God, look at you," Lin mumbled, leaning back and running his hands over Jon's back, "I've always known you're pretty but right now you're fucking gorgeous."

Some part of Jon's brain that hadn't melted just yet wanted to remind Lin that he was still recovering, and that he shouldn't talk.

The rest of him wanted him to never stop talking: the gravelly quality of his voice, the undisguised desire, the low reverberations in the small room, it all drove Jon mad with longing.

"I can't wait to spread you out on my bed and explore every single inch of you," Lin mused, his hands sliding restlessly over Jon's body, "but for now -"

Jon cried out as Lin closed a hand around his erection, stroking him hard and fast.

"- this will do." Lin pressed himself against Jon again, thighs to neck, his cock sliding easily between Jon's asscheeks. He almost keeled over at the overstimulation. Lin wrapped one arm around his waist to steady him.

And then Jon couldn't think at all anymore, he only felt. The rough slide of Lin's long fingers around his cock, the murmured encouragements in his ear, the echo of his hoarse voice all around him, the heat of his orgasm in his belly.  
He came with a shout, spilling over Lin's hand, the muscles in his legs turning to jelly. Sliding down the wall, he knelt on the hard ground, gasping for air, for a second fearing he would pass out.  
Lin's hand in his hair anchored him, and with difficulty he looked up at him. The sight took his breath away. Lin was smiling at him, biting his lip, a feverish shimmer in his dark eyes.

"Geez, that was - fuuuuck..." the rest was garbled nonsense because Jon curled a hand around his hip, and with the other guided Lin's cock in his mouth.

He moaned loudly around it. It had been a while, but he remembered the heady feeling of salty skin and satiny hardness on his tongue. Shimmying closer to Lin, he steadied himself enough to take him as deep as possible. Lin's voice cracked, and then was reduced to low moans and muttered curses, and even before Jon could really get into it, Lin tugged hard on Jon's hair. He pulled off, stroking him until he came with a strangled cry, flailing to stay on his feet. But just as Jon before, he slipped and inelegantly joined Jon on the shower floor.

They looked at each other, panting, flushed, and then broke into giggles. Leaning against the tiled walls, the water slowly turning tepid, they laughed and laughed.

Gradually it died down, and then they just sat there, sneaking a glance at the other every now and then, racing hearts slowly returning to normal.

Suddenly the water turned cold and with a yelp they scrambled to their feet; Jon shut off the shower while Lin jumped out, shivering. He grabbed a towel and tossed it at Jon before taking one as well.

Lin toweled himself off, saying: "That was -"

"- unexpected," finished Jon shyly.

"But not unwanted. In fact, that was very wanted. In case that wasn't clear."

Lin dropped the towel and pulled Jon's hand down so he could look at him.

"In fact, I'd like to repeat that. Often." He waggled his eyebrows playfully, and Jon couldn't help but chuckle. Timidly he reached out and pushed Lin's messy hair out of his face.

"I'd like that," Jon said quietly.

"Good." Lin smiled, eyes twinkling as he leaned up to kiss Jon. It was slow and sweet, different from their frantic kisses before. It conveyed a deep affection, and Jon's toes curled on the cool floor as he returned the kiss, sighing against Lin's warm mouth.

Pulling back, Lin made an appreciative noise to get Jon's attention as he stood there, eyes closed, swaying gently. Lin huffed a soft laugh, caressing his cheek until Jon opened his eyes, blinking a bit to get him into focus.

"I have an important question," Lin said, looking very solemnly, and as Jon raised an eyebrow, he leaned closer, rubbing his nose against Jon's. "Can I have more coffee? Please?" He batted his long lashes, and despite the fact that he was stark naked, he looked so innocent that Jon would have given him anything right now.

He nodded wordlessly; he wasn't sure he could speak right now.

"Yay," Lin said, dropped one more kiss on Jon's nose and then almost bounced out of the room, giving Jon a glorious view on his bare backside.

*

Jon took his time to get dressed; he needed a bit to process the sharp turn his life had taken. Collecting his wet clothes he draped them over the dryer. He also picked up Lin's clothes, blushing a bit as he folded them and put them on a chair. Peeking out the bathroom door, he heard Lin doing the washing up in the kitchen. For a moment he wondered whether or not he was still naked. Berating himself, he walked into the living room to get some dry clothes.

Once he was dressed again, he hesitated, standing in the middle of the room, not knowing what to do.

"Groff, your coffee is getting cold." Lin's voice was harsh and it cracked towards the end.

"Stop talking for God's sake," Jon called, already walking towards the kitchen before he even made the decision.

Lin's bright grin as he entered made his heart jump.

"Make me," he growled, purposely using the very lowest registers of his voice.

"I'll take away your caffeine," Jon threatened as he sat on the table, holding out his cup.

"You wouldn't dare," Lin shot back, pouring Jon some coffee.

"Try me, Miranda."

"I have other ways now," Lin grinned, very slowly, very deliberately licking his lips. Jon's gaze instantly dropped to his mouth, his breath catching in his throat.

"And they work very well," Lin added casually, his tone dripping with satisfaction.

Despite his quickening pulse, Jon sat up straight, drilling his eyes into Lin's.

"That doesn't mean you have free reign now. You're still supposed to rest and recover."

Lin snorted, obviously unimpressed, and continued sipping his coffee.

Jon watched him for a moment before he sighed a long suffering sigh and relaxed back in his chair.

They sat in silence, the only sounds the rain pattering against the windowpane, and Tobi's snores from the living room.

"I could get used to this," Lin mused after a while.

"Hm?"

"This. You and me, here. Together," he said quietly, searching Jon's eyes, who got lost in their warm darkness. He found himself nodding, and he smiled as Lin broke into a big grin.

*

The rest of the day passed uneventful. They spent most of it on the couch: Lin reading, Jon answering his emails before trying his hands on a crossword. Tobi was curled up at Lin's end of the couch - she had stayed close to him all week, as if sensing that he wasn't well.

At some point in the afternoon, Lin put his book away, and yawned extensively. Before Jon could suggest he'd take a nap, he was moving around until his head was in Jon's lap, pulling the blanket over himself.

"Okay?" he asked, glancing up at Jon.

"Of course." Jon put away the paper and sat back, waiting for Lin to stop wiggling around.

"Perfect," Lim mumbled, yawning again.

Jon hesitated for a second but then lowered one hand and ran it through Lin's hair. It resulted in a long, low moan. Jon's smile grew and he continued, sliding his fingers through the mass of silky strands, marveling at its thickness. Lin was purring until Jon very carefully laid a finger on his throat as a silent reminder. Lin stopped and blinked heavy lids open.

"Sorry," he mouthed, "just feels so good."

"And I'm sure you can enjoy it without making sounds," Jon said but there was no heat in his tone.

"I can try."

For a long time they stayed like that, Lin half asleep in Jon's lap, Jon's fingers running through his hair, a hypnotic motion. It was such a perfect moment that Jon tried to burn it into his memory.

Lin was as relaxed as Jon had ever seen him. The constant tension in his frame was gone, the dark shadows below his eyes had vanished. The nervous twitching of his fingers, that was such a part of his personality, had slowed to a random tapping every now and then. The restlessness that usually kept him bouncing around had eased, leaving behind a mindful Lin who could lose himself in a book for hours without moving once.

Jon knew it was only for the time being but he cherished every moment with the new Lin. Because he knew how rare that was, how precious, and that he probably only allowed a handful people to see him like this.

"You're thinking so loudly I can almost hear it," Lin muttered, pressing into Jon's hand on his head.

"You are supposed to be asleep," Jon said.

"I'm trying. Stop thinking and come down here." He sat up, patting the cushions.

Jon raised an eyebrow but shifted, and quickly they settled, Lin's back pressed warm against Jon's front, Jon's arm over his waist.

"Yes, that's better." Lin muttered contently. He grasped Jon's hand and entwined their fingers, pulling them against his chest. "Much better." He wriggled some more, making Jon bite back a groan as his ass moved against his groin, before he stilled, sinking deeper into Jon's embrace.

Soon Lin's breathing evened out, and before long, he was sound asleep. Jon hadn't been tired but the warmth of Lin in his arms, the quiet of the room, the steady lull of the rain outside, it all was so cozy, so comfortable that his lids grew heavy.

He fell asleep with Lin's scent in his nose, a hazy smile on his lips.   

*

Tobi woke them in the early hours of the evening. Since it was still raining, Lin stayed in again while Jon took her for her walk, properly dressed this time. When he came back, the apartment smelled amazing. The proud smile on Lin's face as he presented dinner was enough for Jon to kiss him senseless, and they almost forgot about eating at all. Only Lin's insistence that he didn't cook for nothing stopped Jon from ravishing Lin right there in the kitchen.

After dinner they watched a movie, curled around each other on the couch. Jon was asleep by the end of it. Lin gently shook him awake.

"Come to bed," he whispered, his big brown eyes pleading and a tiny bit anxious. He helped Jon up and they stumbled into Lin's bedroom. There was a brief moment of uncertainty but then Lin crawled into bed, lifting the covers for Jon, patting the mattress. Jon got into bed, lying stiffly on his back for about five seconds before Lin threw an arm over his waist, snuggling close. Jon relaxed, pulling Lin against his side, smiling at the happy noises Lin made. Jon drifted off to sleep to the featherlight roaming of Lin's fingers over his chest.   

***

The next morning Jon took Lin to the doctor for a check-up. His stomach churned as he told them that it would be best to rest his voice for another week. He expected Lin to protest but he only nodded. They got another batch of meds, the instruction to speak as little as possible, and were back on their way home half an hour later.

Or would've been.

"Can we stop by the theater?" Lin asked as they walked towards the subway station.

Jon stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.

"You sure about that?" he asked, frowning.

"Yeah, I miss them." He sounded sad, and as Jon looked at him, he sported such an adorable puppy expression on his face that Jon had to laugh.

"Fine," he sighed, "but when you're talking too much we will leave."

Lin glared. "You mean 'if'?"

"Well, no, because you will, that is a given," Jon grinned and turned, nudging Lin with his shoulder. "Come on then, we can walk, it's faster."

They arrived with a handful of the main cast, and they all poured into the common room with a big hello. Everybody had missed Lin, and naturally he had all the attention on him. Jon smiled as he watched him chat away, glowing and happy; every now and then he glanced at Jon who only smiled at him. He would make sure he would rest his voice after. He knew how much Lin needed this right now for his morale.

Jon settled in a chair, keeping an eye on Lin.

"So, you two finally got it out then." Chris flopped into a chair next to him, startling Jon.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, biting back a grin.

"Oh please," Javier sat on his other side, "you two are radiating sex all over the place."

Jon raised an eyebrow at him.

"Groff, _you_ might be able to conceal what's going on inside of you. He -" Chris gestured towards Lin, "- can't. Never could. His face is the most transparent one, and if you know him only a little bit, you can read him like an open book. He should be miserable for being forced to stay home, for not being allowed to talk, and yet he's radiating happiness like the fucking sun. And there's only one or two reasons I can think of right now."

Jon felt his face heating up, and Chris let out a booming laugh. Lin looked at them from across the room. His eyes narrowed as they flickered between Jon and Chris back and forth. He immediately walked over, an intensity in his gaze that made Jon blush even more.

"Hello you two," he said, casually resting a hand on Jon's shoulder, "could you stop harassing my Groffsauce? I'm sure you have a show to prepare for."

"Not for a few hours, no," Chris deadpanned, "and we're not harassing anyone."

Lin raised an eyebrow, his hand sliding over Jon's shoulder onto the base of his neck. His fingers tangled in the short hair there, playing with it. Jon bit back a soft sigh.

"So, how are you, Lin? Going stir-crazy, I guess? Bossing Jon around like the dictator you are?" Javier asked, a sly grin on his face.

"Oh yeah, I've got a reputation to uphold," Lin shot back, moving closer to Jon, his fingers gliding over Jon's scalp, making him squirm in his seat.

"I'm sure he'll be happy when you're back here. Must be torture for him to look after you." Chris waved absently at some of the cast leaving the room.

"I can barely stand it but somebody has to do it," Jon said through gritted teeth, hardy able to control the urge to push his face into Lin's neck and start purring.

"He didn't allow me coffee for siiiiix loong days," Lin whined.

Jon slipped a hand under Lin's sweater, resting it in the small of his back. Lin had opened his mouth to complain some more but the words died in a low gasp at Jon's touch.

"Five days, Lin, only five days," Jon muttered, drawing random patterns over Lin's warm skin, "and you got some today, so stop whining."

Chris and Javier exchanged a look. Chris cleared his throat. "He's really mean," he said, his mouth quivering with suppressed laughter.

"You have no idea the things I have to endure," Lin sighed in a deeply suffering tone, arching subtely into Jon's hand.

"I can't even begin to understand," Javier said, his entire attention on Lin.

Jon wracked his brain for a proper comeback but now Lin's hip was pressing into his shoulder, and with  shock he noticed that he could smell Lin's arousal.

The groan crept up on him and he wasn't able to suppress it completely, no matter how hard he tried.  
Lin reacted immediately.

His head whipped around, his gaze locked onto Jon's and for a few long second they simply stared at each other. Jon had time to notice how huge Lin's pupils were before Lin made some sort of strangled noise that made Jon's heart leap out of his chest. The next he knew was that Lin was in his lap, his hand in his hair pulling him close, and he kissed him with such abandon that Jon wasn't able to breathe for a moment.

He faintly heard cheers and applause but all his attention was on Lin, his mouth on his, his tongue against his own, the soft sounds he made.

"If I wasn't such a decent guy, I'd have you right here on this table, in front of everyone in this room," Lin murmured lowly between nips at Jon's lips before he pulled back, taking a few shaky breaths. "Sorry, probably not how you wanted to break the news," he said, looking smug despite his words which made Jon laugh.

"Wouldn't want it any other way," he replied just as lowly before pulling him into a tight hug.

Slowly the world returned to their rightful place, and he heard Javier curse violently. Chris laughed loudly. "Ramos!," he called, "Javi owes you 20 bucks"

From somewhere in the back, Anthony pushed his way through the people in the room, his face the picture of delighted shock. He stopped in front of their table, staring at Jon and Lin, grinning widely.

Jon exhaled and then huffed. "You guys _bet_ on us?" he asked, trying to sound offended.

Javier grunted and rolled his eyes.

"Of course." he said, as if it was the most natural thing, and handed Anthony the money.

"Thanks, babygirl. I need to find Jas. I guess she wants to start collecting her money asap. And thank you, you lovebirds. As you were." Snickering, he stuffed the money on his pocket, bouncing off, loudly calling Jasmine's name.

Lin's eyebrows had vanished in his hairline as he stared around the room.

"I don't even wanna know what exactly y'all bet on," Lin stated eventually, huffing loudly.

"Lin, you're basically dry humping Groff there. You're in no position to sound so offended," Chris said, grinning widely, standing up. "Now excuse me, I need to collect my money from a few folks." He winked at Jon, patted Lin's shoulder and wandered off, whistling to himself.

Lin looked after him, mouth hanging open before he turned to Jon, who only shrugged.

"Don't look at me like that. They're all mad." His heart was still racing from Lin's kiss.

Lin harrumphed and then inelegantly slid from Jon's lap, glaring around the room. As he realized that nobody was intimidated he threw his hands in the air, huffing again.

Jon pulled himself together, smoothed his shirt down and stood as well.

"I think it's time to leave," he said with as much dignity as possible - which wasn't much going by the sly grins and waggling eyebrows he was met with.

Lin muttered under his breath but followed Jon as he made his way to the door under more cheering and catcalling.

"It was almost nice seeing y'all again," he called over his shoulder, voice breaking at the end which got him a few laughs.

Chuckling Jon waved his goodbyes as well, and they made their way back outside. Hurrying down the sidewalk, they slowed down once they passed the line snaking around the block.

"You're insane," Jon said, pulling his jacket tight; a sharp wind was blasting through the streets.

Lin only giggled softly. Jon cast a glance at him; the only thing he could see were his sparkling eyes, the rest of his face was hidden under his scarf and the beanie on his head.

"I adore you," Jon muttered, more to himself than for Lin to hear. But he stopped him, right there on the sidewalk.

"And I you," Lin said quietly, resting a cool hand on Jon's cheek. "Was that okay? I mean, I probably shouldn't have, not like this, but you looked so cute there and I just -"

"Hush," Jon said, pulling Lin away from the steady stream of people and into the shadow of a building, "it's okay. Should've known you'd do something dramatic."

"'m not dramatic," Lin mumbled but Jon leaned down to kiss him, efficiently shutting him up. Lin hummed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Jon's neck.

"You're a drama queen," Jon said between kisses which earned him a sharp bite in the lower lip.

"See," Jon grinned, "case in point."

Lin's eyes narrowed. "As soon as we're back home, I'll _case in point_ you, Groffsauce."

"Will you now?" Jon's heart started beating faster again.

Lin pulled back, letting his dark gaze run slowly over Jon's entire body, and despite the cold, Jon felt heat wash over him.

"Hmm, yeah, I already have a few ideas what to do with you," Lin purred into his ear, his hand sneaking under Jon's jacket, nails raking over his chest.

Jon groaned. He stepped away, grabbed Lin's hand and growled:

"Let's go."

Lin laughed all the way back home.

 


End file.
